Monsoon likely to be ‘below normal’ this year: Skymet
NEW DELHI, April 4, 2019: Monsoon this year is likely to be "below normal" at 93 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA) owing to developing El Nino in the Pacific Ocean, which poses higher risk for the eastern parts and a major portion of central part of the country being rain deficient, private weather forecaster Skymet said on Wednesday.
The average, or normal, rainfall in the country is defined between 96 and 104 per cent of a 50-year average for the entire four-month monsoon season, which is 887 mm.
Skymet said monsoon is going to have "a very sluggish start" and deficit rains are likely to spill into July.
Among the areas that will be affected due to deficient rainfall are Karnataka, Vidarbha and Marathwada in Maharashtra, southwest Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand along with the northeastern states.
On the other hand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and coastal Andhra Pradesh will receive more rainfall, said G. P. Sharma, President (Meteorology and Climate Change) at Skymet.
Onset of monsoon can not be predicted at this moment and it has no relation with the overall rainfall the country receives, he said.
The rainfall in June will be 77 per cent (126 mm) of the LPA while it will be 91 per cent (263 mm) in July, 102 per cent (266 mm) in August and 99 per cent (171 mm) in September.
Palawat also said temperature in the national capital will be under control this summer due to pre-monsoon activities.
(IANS)